MST3K 512 - Mitchell
The Movie Synopsis Mitchell is a 1975 film starring Joe Don Baker as an abrasive, alcoholic police detective. Very much an anti-hero, Mitchell often ignores the orders of his superiors in pursuit of his targets, and demonstrates disdain for by-the-book police work as well as normal social graces. The film also stars John Saxon and Martin Balsam as the criminals Mitchell pursues throughout the film. Linda Evans and Merlin Olsen appear in supporting roles as a prostitute and henchman, respectively. Be sure and notice the genre-busting soundtrack. The movie starts out with a Shaft inspired rubber guitar solo, the chase scenes have a lovely 2 bar light rock/corporate PR film melody, and interspersed with that is some piano noodling that sounds vaguely similar to Nadia's Theme. And if that isn't enough to set your teeth on edge and leave you tasting vinegar and copper, there's the 'Ma-ma-ma-ma-Mitchell' country crooning of an embarrassed Hoyt Axton (plot summary set to music here). Information According to the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Amazing Colossal Episode Guide, actor Joe Don Baker was very angry at the MST3K treatment of Mitchell and threatened physical violence on any of the cast or crew should he ever meet them in person. This did not stop them from later featuring (and happily mocking) another Joe Don Baker film, Final Justice, and hurling even more vicious insults at Baker. Kevin Murphy later said Baker likely meant it in a joking manner. IMDb page on Mitchell The Episode Host Segments Prologue: Joel has painstakingly fashioned a replica of Monticello out of toothpicks. The Bots want to destroy it, though when Joel says that he wants them to destroy it, they lose interest...momentarily Segment One (Invention Exchange): In Deep 13, the Mads are being audited by the Fraternal Order of Mad Science, so they’ve hired a temp by the name of Mike to help them get organized. Joel quickly shows his Daktari stool. Segment Two: While Joel, Crow, and Tom are involved in an Outward Bound-type exercise, Gypsy overhears the Mads plotting the most painful way to fire Mike, but mistakenly assumes they’re planning to kill Joel. This segment features an homage to the 'lip reading' scene in 2001. Segment Three: A worried Gypsy tries to think of a way to get Joel off the SOL; Crow and Tom, on pogo sticks and singing old TV theme songs, are no help whatsoever. Segment Four: Gypsy turns to Mike in Deep 13 for help. Mike learns of a hidden escape pod (in a crate marked "Hamdingers"), and tricks Frank out of his keys so that Gypsy can gain control. Segment Five: Joel's letter reading is interrupted when he is ejected into the escape pod, leaving behind a plaque and a final word, a quote from The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057812/ The bots panic. Joel is safely deposited on Earth, somewhere in Australia. Dr. F is furious and informs Frank that his towel and Frank's hinder have an appointment...until Mike presents his time card. The segment ends with Dr. F. inquiring of Mike of what size jumpsuit the young man wears. Stinger: "You’re lying through your teeth!" "Buzz off, huh?!" "Buzz off!" "BUZZ OFF, KID!!!" Goofs *As the bots panic at the end of the episode, Tom loses his head and Crow loses his net and eyes, although the crew seem to purposley go with the flow when it happens. Quotes & References * "It's a Daktari stool!" Daktari was a 1960s TV series about a veterinarian working in Africa. Also, "dark, tarry stool" is a symptom of internal bleeding. * "The Martha Mitchell Story!" Martha Mitchell was the wife of John Mitchell, the Attorney General of the United States under the Nixon administration. * "Who’s the puffy guy who’s a big blurry sex machine?" "Mitchell!" "That Mitchell is one fast-" "Shut yo’ mouth!" "Just talkin’ bout Mitchell." A spoof of the theme song from the 1971 Richard Roundtree movie Shaft. * "It was the third of September/That day I'll always remember..." The opening line from the Temptations song "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". * "Mitchell's on the corner..." Paraphrased from "Freddie's Dead", a song by Curtis Mayfield from the Superfly soundtrack. * Tom Servo: "We've hidden the Mitchell somewhere in this picture." Crow: "Mitchell, will you stand up please?" (makes gunshot noise) A reference to the famous Monty Python sketch, "How Not to Be Seen." * "The lunatic is on the grass (laugh)(laugh)..." The opening line from the Pink Floyd song "Brain Damage". * "It's not for me to say..." After pegging the thief in John Saxon's house as Johnny Mathis, Joel sings a line from the 1957 popular song It's Not For Me To Say. * "Al Noga?!" Al Noga is a Hawaiian-born football player. * "Doctor Detroit!" Doctor Detroit was a 1983 movie starring Dan Aykroyd. * "Hey! Lucas McCain lives here!" Lucas McCain was the hero of the Western TV series The Rifleman. * "...oh, a GoldStar." GoldStar was a brand of inexpensive consumer electronics manufactured in South Korea. * "He's talking to Commissioner Gordon." The police chief is talking on a red phone, much like the phone used to contact Batman. * They arrested Harlan Ellison. ... Good. A SF writer apparently disliked by Servo. * I ought to buy him a pick-me-up bouquet Merlin Olson was a spokesman for FTD in the 80s, after he ditched the biscuit hat and grew a beard. The 'pick-me-up' bouquet was a popular item. * "Chico, don't be discouraged..." Servo is singing the theme song from the 1970s sitcom Chico and the Man. * "I'm King Hussein!" Hussein was the king of Jordan from 1952 until his death in 1999. * "Oh, you're a holiday..." The opening line from the 1967 Bee Gees song Holiday. * "Why are they playing 'Nadia's Theme'?" "He's young and restless!" A comment on the music's similarity to "Nadia's Theme", best known as the theme for the soap opera The Young and the Restless. * "Sorry about the porn, there's a Kilgore Trout piece in there!" Kilgore Trout, a recurring character in the works of Kurt Vonnegut, was a science fiction writer whose stories were typically published in "men's" magazines. * "Martin Balsam: The Dewar's Profile!" A reference to a long-running series of magazine ads for Dewar's whiskey. * "Daryl Gates on his day off" After having a disagreement with the henchman of James Arthur Cummings, Mitchell turns and shoots him in the back of the leg as he runs away. The comment is a reference to the scandal involving Daryl Gates chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) during the Los Angeles riots of 1992 and his views regarding criminality. * "Lee Trevino's been hit again!" Reknown professional golfer Lee Trevino was struck by lightning on June 27 1975 playing in the Western Open at Butler National Golf Club in Chicago, Illinois. * "You really think so?" "I'm turning Japanese" The hook from the 1980 song Turning Japanese by The Vapors * "The inspiration for 'Cop and a Half'" Mitchell gets into a mimic fight with a kid on a skateboard, when Crow shouts the reference to the 1993 Burt Reynolds film Cop and A Half * "We are two wild and crazy guys!" The catch phrase of The Festrunk Brothers, a pair of Czechoslovakian playboys acted by Steve Martin and Dan Akroyd on Saturday Night Live. * "Thank you very much" A henchman that is gunned down by Mitchell looks like the Andy Kaufman character Latka Gravas from the 1980's television sitcom Taxi * "Benton!" "Harbor, Michigan" Joel changes the character Benton's last name into the city known as Benton Harbor, Michigan * "Mitchell will return in 'Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows'!" A reference to the "James Bond will return in..." taglines that frequently appear during the closing credits of James Bond movies. Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows was a 1968 comedy film about Catholic schoolgirls on a cross-country field trip. * "Wasn't John Saxon in this movie? The scene where John Saxon's character was killed was removed in the edited version used for MST3k. Ironically, the writers made fun of a loose end in the film's plot which they created. * "Counselor?" Reference to 1991's Cape Fear which also had Joe Don Baker and Martin Balsam in prominent roles. *''"You'll never die, you'll never grow old, and you'll always eat oatmeal."'' Shared reference to the 1985 science fiction film "Cocoon" & Quaker Oats commercials featuring Wilford Brimley. Notes Joel Hodgson's final appearance as Joel Robinson (until Episode 1001). Michael J. Nelson's first appearence as Mike Nelson. This episode was screened at several colleges before its broadcast. http://www.mst3ktemple.com/ouch15collegetour.htm Category:MST3K Episodes Category:Season 5 Category:70s Movie